Actuating mechanism for lathes.



R. K. LE BLOND & W. P. GROENE. ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR LATHES.

APPLIO'A'I'ION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

LO6'K26 Patented July 15, 1913.

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RICHARD K. LE BLOND AND WILLIAM F. GROENE. OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.ASSIGNORS TO THE R. K. LE BLOND MACHINE TOOL COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI,OHIO, A. COR

PonA'rIoN or oHIo.

Specification of Application filed April 6,

Zgiqill whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. RICHARD K. Ln BLOND and WILLIAM: F. GROENE,citizens of the United States of America, and residents ofCincinnati,county of Hamilton, and State of Ohio, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Actuating Mechanisms for Lathes, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to lathes and has for an object to produce alathe having im-- proved means for actuating the tool-stock ortool-carrying turret which overcomes diiiiculties ordinarily encounteredin lathes, and insures greater safety tothe operator. This and otherobjects we attain in a lathe embodying the features herein illustratedand described.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application,Figure 1. is a somewhat diagrammatical vertical sectional view of alathe embodying our invention, portions being shown in section forconvenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is a fragincntal sectional viewalong the line of Fig. 1.

The lathe illustrated as an embodiment of our invention includes theusual head-stock 3, the usual bed 4, and a tool-carrying turret 5, whichis capable of moving along ways 6 provided for it on the bed.

One of the principal features of our invention is a rack 7 forming apart of the turret actuating mechanism and its arrange ment and locationwith respect to the bed 4 and the turret 5. 'As illustrated, the rack 7is semi-cylindrical, is provided with/teeth on its lower and fiat faceonly, extends along. the bed 4.- midway between the ways 6 and issecured to the head-stock end of the bed only. Any suitable means may beemployed fol-securing the rack to the bed, and in the lathe illustratedwehave provided a boss 8 on the'bed having a horizontal andlongitudinally extending bore through which the end of the rack projectsand to which it is secured by means of a set-screw 9. The rack projectsparallel with the ways (3 but is located a little below them and theturret body is provided with downwardly projecting supports or guides10, through which the rack extends and in which it is supported.

Lette Patent. Patented July an, was.

1912. Serial No. 689,016.

three guides 10 which are located at substantially equal distances apartand so ar ranged that they form an adequate support for the rack. Wehave also located arackengaging pinion 11 below the ,rack so that itmeshes with. its teeth at a point substantially midway between two ofthe guides 10. The three guides insure a correct alinement of the rack"and" prevent deflection at the point of engagement of the pinion andthere .fore hold it in the proper position with relation to the pinion.The pinion 11, is mounted on a short shaft 12 the ends of which arejournaled in depcnding'lugs 13 formedon the body of the turretandextending below the ways 6. As has been said, the rack is locatedcentrally between the ways and consequently the lugs are arranged so asto permit the pinion 11, to occupy a central position between the ways.A gear 14 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 12 and meshes with a gear 15,located above the rack and forming a part of the transmission mechanismof the tool-stock or turret 5. The outer end of the rack 7 isunsupported but the guides 10 on the turret are so located that they arecapable of preventing objectionable vibrations no matter where theturret is located along its ways 6.

tion of the lathe since there is no necessity 'for providing a sheath orcover plates for the rack to protect it from the metal filings and chipswhich may fall from the tool carried by the turret. By so disposing therack that its upper or exposed face is smooth, and the teeth are locatedon its lower face there ,is no tendency for the transmission mechasincethey cannot come into contact with the teeth of the rack and there is notendency with the transmission mechanism.

of the transmission mechanism, is advantageous since the turret forms aprotecting cover for them and since they are so located that chips ofmetal could not possibly reach them. Besides preventing metal chips andfilings from lodging on the rack, the rounded or cylindrical surface ofthe rack is advan In the lathe illustrated we have provided for them tolodge on the rack and interfere tageous, because it increases thebearing face.

The inverted rack simplifies the eonstrucnism to be damaged by metalchips or filings v The location and arrangement of the pinion 11 and theother gears tornnng apart int between the rack and the turret andtherefore decreases the friction and the resistance to motionof theturret.

By locating the rack centrally between the ways 6 and by locating therack-engaging pinion immediately below it and centrally be with anyother arrangement of the rack.

In accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes we haveherein illustrated the present preferred form of our invention, itsfunctions and principles of operation,

' but we desire-it to be understood that varione changes substitutionsand modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of our invention as' set forth in the appended claims. What weclaim is:

1. In a machine of the character described,

a tool-stock, a bed having ways along which the tool-stock is adapted tomove, a rack secured to the frame, at one end only, and V projectingalong said ways, bearings mounted on the tool-stock, for supporting thefree end of the rack, and a pinion for engaging the rack mounted on thetool-st ock immediately adjacent to one of said bearings.

ways, three bearings for the rack, spaced relatively great distancesapart and mounted on the tool-stock, a pinion, for engaging the rack,mounted on the tool-stock between two of said bearings, and meansmounted on the tool-stock for driving the pinion. RICHARD K. LE BLOND.WILLIAM F. GROENE. Witnesses:

WALTER F. MURRAY, FRED LE BLOND.

